Stranger Things Have Happened
by outlawstar615
Summary: A crisis arises that even Angel, the vampire with a soul can't handle. He and Cordelia journey all the way to Louisiana to seek help and counsel form none other than Eric Northman.
1. Chapter 1

Its time to see how West Coast Vamps and East Coast Vamps play together...

...Cordelia and Angel driving on the way to Shreveport, Louisiana.

"Angel are you sure we have to go to this backwards bayou town? Cause I seriously don't think getting hexed or eaten by alligators is too fashionable this season. Isn't there another way to get what we're looking for?"

"With all the stuff we've been through and all you've seen with Willow and now you're scared of Louisiana? Come on Cordy we hopefully won't even be here for very long."

"Its just I've read a lot about voodoo and black magic and being cursed like that isn't the same as killing monsters and demons...at least with them I have some control over whose gonna die. Wow, I almost sounded confident there."

"Well I've heard this vampire, Eric Northman is one of the most cunning and knowledgeable of our kind. We exasperated all our sources on the west coast so its time we tried to search for answers from the other side. He's good about doing favors and since the royalty in this town are corrupt we'll just stick to side lines until we can get what we're looking for, then we're out of here.

They finally stop to the little night club called Fangtasia where they can hear loud music from inside the club. After getting out of the car they see a male vampire and a scantily clad girl with piercings and tattoos stumble back to a truck on the far side of the parking lot.

"Angel,why can't this Eric guy hang out somewhere less whore infested and dirty. And what's stopping us from just busting into the place and telling him to help us?"

"We can't exactly use our brand of reasoning here. According to the vampire code of ethics in these parts I've actually broken... a lot of the rules...and having a soul.. well, that just puts me in a whole lot of trouble that we don't need. So be nice and don't stare."

"I'll stare at whomever I want..remember I've killed vamps before. And you're with me so nobody's gonna touch us."

Angel stops cold in his tracks and Cordelia clumsily bumps into his back. He turns around quickly with a more than serious face and garbs her arm.

"Cordelia, I don't think you fully understand just how dangerous this place is. The vampires here do something,I refuse to do, called glamoring. It's like a type of hypnosis in which you will be totally under their control. In LA the vamps are just too impatient and don't feel its necessary to play with their food. Here, its encouraged."

"...Like in Dracula the movie" she gulps.

"Um, yeah like that but several times worse. We're not Los Angeles anymore. Different rules apply here, there are systems and hierarchies and much more finesse in the way they kill humans. Its the deep south and everything's slower here especially torture. And since I have virtually no power here I can't fight back...or remember all those rules that I've broken..they'll all come back to bite my ass and yours too literally."

" Way to kill a road trip, Angel." Cordy blurts trying to cut some of the tension.

They finally make it up to the doors of club Fangtasia where a nicely dressed vampire awaits.

"Welcome to Fangtasia enter at your own risk," She says sarcastically

"Um, Hi there...My name is Angel, and I'm here to meet with Eric Northman."

"Aren't we all...So is this human his scheduled meal tonight?"

"Oh, no. I think you've misunderstood me. This is Cordelia my friend and we work together. We are here on very important business and need to speak to Eric Northman, the owner of this club."

"Yes, So this human is _yours_?"

"No Cordelia doesn't exactly belong to me, she's here of her own free will." he muttered blushing slightly.

"You tell her Angel! I don't belong to anyone but myself!" whispered a slightly terrified Cordelia. She couldn't help but stare at this vampire guarding the door, her accent, her poise, her attitude. It was all so alluring yet scary. Cordelia had seen beautiful vampires before her best friend Harmony being one of them but none compared to this lady of the night.

"Oh dear lord, you must be one of those baby main-streamers." she exhaled feeling exasperated at this conversation which was much too long for her liking. "When I asked if she was yours I was implying that if she belongs to you then no other vampire could have her. Is this the case or is she free game?"

"Well, when you put it that way, she's definitely mine!"

"Ugh, here I better take you to see Eric myself lest you cause some sorta scene here tonight.

"Thank You"

"No thanks are necessary I'm actually just very interested in what my master will have to say about you and your little problem."

As Pam leads them across the crowded club Cordelia spots a blonde man surveying the club from a throne.

"That is my master, Eric Northman, I'll alert him of your presence..."

"He's gorgeous and he dresses nice...Angel, looks like you've got some competition in the 'dark and brooding but good dresser' category." Cordelia whispers as she pokes Angel in his side.

The vampire finally returns to lead Angel and Cordelia to Eric's throne. They finally get an audience with the Viking himself at his throne. Angel relays his back-story to the Eric who intently listens with a scowl on his face. After Angel finishes talking to Eric, he stands back and waits.

Eric sits up tapping his fingers on the arm of his throne and stares at Angel.

"How is it, that I've never managed to meet _you_, Angel, the vampire with a soul?"

"Well, Mr. Northman, I guess fate has kept us apart until we were better suited for each others company."

"Indeed. Why don't we take this to my office, where we can talk more freely."


	2. Chapter 2

" So, Mr. Northman, can you help us find what we're looking for?"

Angel sitting impatiently on the edge of his chair, staring directly into Eric's eyes as trying to reach his mind and will him to say yes, to acknowledge that he could in some way help them find the key and save the world once again.

Before they could go any further Eric held up a hand that signaled Angel to stop talking. Eric

stopped to open up the middle drawer of his desk and rummaged inside until he found a note that was written in another language. He gave the note to Pam who immediately began going to various spots in the room and turning of some devices. After she completed her task she returned to his side.

"I see...the room was wired." Cordelia blurted.

"Yes, it is. I found out a while ago that my Queen likes to keep tabs on her people."

"Trust issues?" Angel retorted

" Something like that...now about your predicament. I will see what can be done. You see this thing

that you speak of is something whose existence I've doubted. Now that we know it exists, to find it will put many lives in jeopardy, including your friend over there. We will have to kill a lot of people who will get in the way just to protect it. There will be much blood shed. Do you still want to find it?"

"My friend Cordelia over here is clairvoyant. So, she's the only one of us who's actually seen this thing. She also knows that its here in your state or in the vicinity and its looking to impregnate vampires and humans alike to create an army strong enough to start up the apocalypse again. I don't know how you feel about that but I don't think that I can just sit here and let the whole world fall when there's something that can be done, assuming that there is something you can tell us about it."

"That's your soul talking. If Angelus were here he could give two shits about what happened to everyone else. He's a bit messy though and that alone is enough to make me want to snap his neck but he's a vampire I'd like to meet."

"He's only available for weddings and Bar- Mitzvahs. We're trying to save the world here, so you got me instead."

"Why didn't you take this to the Authority? I'm sure they would have loved to hear this."

"You know just as well as I do that there's nothing they would do except ignore it. The Authority is too preoccupied in maintaining their public appearance with humans. And they're so...well...I know that if I went before them...I'd be just sending myself to my final death."

"Well, you're smart. So you came to a mere Sheriff?"

"You're work precedes you. You're one of the oldest people that I've heard of besides your maker, that knows when and where to stay out of the lime light, if you get my drift. I've also heard that you as well as Angelus could give two shits about what the Authority thinks, you just think it easier not to get involved."

Eric then looked to Pam and nodded which signaled her to speed off to the basement of the club. The basement aside from being the main place for torture and wild sexual endeavors, held many secret rooms that not even the Queen or Magistre knew about. Somehow in the layout of Fangtasia Eric cunningly neglected to include these hidden rooms in the blueprint that each of the afore mentioned saw. Pam quickly returned from the basement with a large book covered with dust. She dropped the large text on Eric's desk and they looked away to avoid dust from getting into their eyes.

"Whoa, that's one massive book. Is what we need in there?" Cordelia chimed in.

Eric sat forward in his chair and pried up the massive book with little effort, flipping through the pages of the cryptic text. He came to the page he was looking for and scanned the page to make sure he hadn't misunderstood any of it. He held up the the book and faced it towards Angel and Cordelia whose eyes were glued to the heading of the page. _Nephilims, Cambions, Incubi, and Succubae. _

"So all these names and we still don't know what it is." Cordelia whispered to Angel

"From what I already know, I assume that this creature is a mixture of all these." Eric retorted while passing the book to Angel. The lore surrounding this creature is scarce but its enough to get us started."

"Well I don't know what any of those creatures are, I guess I wasn't paying attention in mythology. So someone please fill me in."

"You're friend is cute but annoying, shut her up or I will." Pam shot out. Giving a menacing stare to Cordelia and then Angel.

Eric stood up from his desk and began pacing the floor. He thought back to a time when he could see himself hearing stories about these creatures including vampires, a time when nothing really made sense, a time when he wasn't truly apart of this world. Then he spoke up.

"There is no name for this thing, because it was only speculation that it even existed in the first place. Each of these creatures have been documented throughout history and have plagued humans and vampires alike for millennia. The Nephilim dates back to before the great flood. They are a race of half human half angels that survived the flood and continued to breed. As for Succubae which are female and Incubi which are male, these are types of demons generally thought to have no emotions. They simply rape or mate with willing humans to bring them into sin. The children of such a union are called Cambion. The creature we are dealing with is the product of a Nephilim and and a Incubus. This however is a union that was never supposed to happen, and thus this creature though weakened by human blood is strong enough to tear a rift between heaven and hell and begin the apocalypse."

"So, this mutt has got to go." Pam said

"We just have to find it and kill it, yes?" Cordelia said

"Find it, yes. Kill it, no. To kill something this powerful might have an adverse effect on this planet, but to find a way to capture,contain, and stop it from trying to reproduce." Angel jumped in.

"We'll begin our search in two weeks. We need supplies and more research. I also need to call someone who might be of great use to us in this mission." Eric said.

They discussed more about their plan of action. Then, Eric walked back to his desk closed the book and dismissed them. Angel and Cordelia were left to walk back to Angel's car to look for a place to stay the night. Cordelia turned back around to take another look at Fangtasia and sighed, "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into this time?"


	3. Chapter 3

Azriel stepped out of the shower making sure to tuck in her wings as she moved through the doorway into the bedroom. A towel wrapped around her slender but muscular frame, she began to undo the knot and sit on the edge of the bed. She sensed some other presence in the room and shivered. Still very nude under the thin cloth she stopped and re-wrapped the towel holding herself tightly as she looked around. A familiar presence was near, waiting, watching her as he always had. The tormentor and the lover all in one.

"Thelo," she whispered "I know you're there." She looked towards the window beside the night stand and there he was in all his unholy glory; Thelo. One of the fallen. He had been sent by Lucifer to watch her and make sure her life was horrible. Every time things in her life would be changing and she was nearing a point in her life where she might have been almost happy, he would appear and bring malice and pain into her life. But from the time she turned seventeen up until her current age things had been different. For a malevolent spirit who was supposed to not have any emotions at all, Thelo was doing quite the opposite nowadays especially, since they now had a son together.

PAST

It is in the incubus' nature to sit on the chest of their victims and impregnate them. That's what she had read. Yet, Thelo had not the translucent body of a regular spirit. He had been granted a body of a human. A beautiful man with dark flowing locks, an athletic build and bronzed skin. In this state he would have crushed her and his job wasn't to kill her, it was to torment her until she went mad and killed herself.

There was a time when Azriel was terrified of Thelo. She would cower and faint, inadvertently using some of her angelic powers to shield herself, but being only half angel she was weak and Thelo would get to her, beat her, put scratches on her back, face, and legs. It brought him neither pleasure nor pain to harm another creature. It was just his job. Until, the day of Azriel's seventeenth birthday, she decided that she would wish for the strength to live with this torment until he finally killed her. From then on, she would stand up to him, practice using her powers and fight as best she could. That night when she finally retired to her room he appeared. Thelo was never one for words, his only comfort was being in the shadows. She could always sense when he appeared because she got a tingling sensation that traveled up her spine. He began to hover over Azriel who was sitting on her bed. But instead of cowering away, she stood up bravely without fear brushing her hair from her hazel eyes.

"Tell me your name." she said. He then moved closer to her with no change in his attitude he raised a hand to strike her.

She stared Thelo down not looking away. She smoothed her dress down and spoke up again, nearly yelling this time.

"Your name...I asked you for your name! I will not continue to be harassed and tormented by a creature whose name I do not know. So, before I fight back, I would like to know your name."

Thelo was stunned, never had he seen her like this, determined to fight him. This definitely wasn't in the job manual. Nowhere did it say that his assignment might fight him back. Sure, it had been in his line of duty before, priests always with the "The power of Christ compels you!" business driving him from his host and back to Hell where he'd have to hear some shit from Lucifer. He had always been an incubus, and he was damn good at it. But the world was already so full of sinful whores that there wasn't really a need for many of them anymore. So, he got assigned to this thing. From her birth she had shown no signs of the Light. And now today she was proving to be a little difficult. He could whip her back into her old ways. She'd be cowering and fainting in no time at all. Not that he cared, he just needed a different approach is all. Before he did so he would oblige her in her simple... and maybe final... request.

"Thelo."

"Very well, Thelo. I'm sure you already know but my name is Azriel."

Silence. Done with the logistics Thelo moved in closer bearing his teeth at her. Usually, she would turn away or try to hide by now but she didn't. She continued to stare him down.

"How did you get this body? I've seen pictures of demons and they are usually repulsive looking. Is this the body of a host that you inhabit? If so, he's quite handsome."

Then as if compelled by a spirit of her own Azriel reached out a hand to stroke Thelo's face. He didn't move and was frozen. Never had he felt a touch like this before. Demons don't get touched. It was her touched that paralyzed him. Try as he might, he couldn't move.

"Anyone this handsome should never be so angry. They have all the blessings in the world. Maybe others would like you if you were nice." She felt no fear and continued to talk to him until he was able to move again. He dropped from the air with a thud. Standing quickly he looked utterly confused and began moving backwards into the shadows of her dimly lit room until he disappeared.

After that day Thelo began visiting Azriel in her room just to listen to her speak. Years passed since he had last attacked her. He began talking back to her asking her questions. He always still seemed so cold and distant. Azriel would say that every time he visited her she could see pieces of his soul returning to him. And that one day it would be whole and so he would never again feel the need to kill or harm. He would be almost human, almost.

PRESENT

After appearing from the shadows, Azriel went over to Thelo and kissed him. A desperate kiss that troubled them both and backed him into a corner. These visits for her had turned from hopeless despair into something that she looked forward anxiously throughout her day. They knew this unholy union was never to happen and yet somehow it did. Angels were always against demons just like vampires were always against werewolves. It was nature, a nature they went against and caused what might be the end of the world as they knew it.

"He's really going to do it this time, Thelo. He's gonna destroy this world." She said lightly sobbing on his chest, her hair covering her face as she hid. "It's all our fault, we're not supposed to be together."

"Fuck what's supposed to be. We did what we did and it now he's here. There was nothing we could do to stop our coming together, and his being born. Fate, is more appropriate for what this is. He is here now and he must be stopped...but we...I can't do it." he said as he pulled away from her. Brushing his hands over her shoulders he turned to face the window beside her bed and looked out into the dark for answers. As, he looked back at the memories of their son he felt a burning hate that had been there once before...before he loved Azriel before he knew love. It was hate for his only son; Ira

Their son now twenty-three, was a beautiful and exotic looking creature with the eyes and chin of his mother and the jawline, build and complexion of his father and he was evil, a little something he had inherited from his father and Lucifer of course. His powers were never latent like hers, they always presented themselves at inopportune times causing chaos and destruction wherever he went. Especially when he was younger. In school, he would telepathically strangle class mates and teachers who crossed him. He'd killed a few people and done away with them in high-school, now in college he decided it was time to fulfill his destiny and destroy the world, something that he always felt like he had to do. The voices in his head begged him everyday to be like Nike and 'just do it', just destroy the whole damned thing and take everything and everyone with him until the new world order had been established.


	4. Chapter 4

**Please Review...Its very much appreciated. Characters don't belong to me but the people who own them...So Yeah...Read and Review! Please and Thank You.**

Two weeks were going by painfully slow especially when there nothing much going on in Bon Temps. Cordelia had however managed to be attacked nearly every night since their arrival which gave Angel an excuse to see the town and practice fighting with the vampires there. He had nearly killed one who claimed to be part of some cult on their second night in town. Cordelia got a little mouthy with one that tried to glamor her into coming with him which didn't work, a blessing in disguise Angel thought. She'd resorted the holy water bit, where she would drink some and spit into the eyes of her attacker, but it didn't pan out like she wanted and she swallowed most of it which gave the vampire enough time to get her by the throat. Angel, stepped in and kicked him around but didn't kill him. He let him go free with a warning and a threat that if he told anyone the vampire with a soul was in town then Angel would help him to his final death.

"ANGEL!" Cordy screamed as a spider fell from the ceiling of the ratty hotel they stayed in.

"Cordy, its just a spider." he said as he casually flicked it from her shoulder and watched it land on the carpet of the hotel floor and scurry away.

"I can't take this anymore." she strained as she flicked imaginary cobwebs from her shoulder "I'm cooped up in here all day with nothing to do, waiting for that Northman guy to call us and let us know something," she was interrupted by Angel's cell phone.

"Speak of the devil." Angel said as he picked up the phone off the bed and flipped it open.

"Hello."

"Angel?"

"Yes, this is Angel."

"How has your stay been in Bon Temps?

" We've been fine except for a few hiccups. Have you gotten in touch with your aide?"

"No, I was waiting until today to do it. But I've done more research and have pinpointed the location of this creature's mother. It seems she actually knows my aid very well. So I was going to wait until tonight when we all meet up to have her come in so we can all get better acquainted, She and your human will get along famously."

"Sounds like a party. Anyway, are we meeting at your club again?"

"Yes, Pam will know what do when she sees you."

"Fine."

" Oh, and make sure you feed your human before you come, I don't think I'll be able to keep myself from draining her if she insists on whining every 5 minutes."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that. Alright then."

click-

Cordelia jumped up to stand behind Angel as he put away his cell phone. "So what did he want? Are we going to start tracking it down?"

Laughing to himself,"Yes, and we've only got a few more hours until we meet with Eric again to discuss what's next. But I'm thinking we should get something to eat first."

…...

A couple of hours later they were in Fangtasia. When they made it to Eric's office standing on his left hand side was a short tow-headed woman with a _Merlotte's_ shirt and black shorts. She was shorter than Cordelia but not by much, she also looked as if she couldn't stand Eric from the way she kept inching further and further away from his side as they entered the room.

Eric stood as they entered the room greeting Angel and Cordelia. With his trademark scowl and a quick nod he then sat back down to cross his long legs behind his desk as everyone sat down except for the young woman.

"Angel, this is my aide, Sookie Stackhouse." he said motioning to the blonde girl.

"I can speak for myself, Eric." she puffed. "Hi, I'm Sookie. Nice to meet y'all."

"A pleasure." Angel reached over and shook her hand.

"Same." said Cordelia also reaching out to shake her hand but before their fingers could touch a blue spark shot between their hands and they jumped back inspecting their fingers.

"Damn! I don't think that was static shock." Cordelia shot out looking sourly at Sookie as she brushed her hands together.

"Me either." Sookie said kissing her injured hand. "I've done some weird stuff before, but only to things that try to attack me."

"Well it seems we have two rare specimens in our presence tonight. What did you say your friend was again, Angel?" Eric said looking quizzically between the two women who were still looking at their injured digits.

"Cordelia here is..." Angel started

"I'm clairvoyant a gift from the Powers that Be." Cordelia fumed as she looked at Eric trying to get him to acknowledge her.

"And I'm telepathic." Sookie looked up.

"Well see if you can have a decent conversation without opening your mouths, go ahead." Eric said.

"_I hate Eric with every fiber of my being" _Sookie thought and Cordelia laughed. It worked they were talking to each other using nothing but their minds.

"_But you have to admit he is pretty sexy. Those features and that wardrobe, its like he's a king or something."_ Cordelia replied not breaking eye contact with Sookie

"_Don't let him fool you, he'll trick you into drinking his blood without a second thought. He's vindictive, manipulative, cold, unfeeling, hard headed and egotistical."_

"_You talk as if you've dated him...Have you? Cause now, I'm kinda jealous."_

"_NO! It's not like that at all. When I was with my boyfriend...ex-boyfriend Bill, Eric couldn't seem to leave me alone and coerced me into helping him on several occasions and then once tricked me into drinking his blood, which you know...makes you have dreams about them...the dirty kind. But I'm sure you know you've probably drank from your boyfriend over there before."_

Choking aloud Cordelia took a long look at Angel who was still watching their little stare off. "_NO! That's not my boyfriend.. we're just friends that work together. But this whole dealing with vampires thing is getting really old really fast, ya know? They don't tell you everything and expect lots of help and cooperation...men. At least Angel has a soul._

"_Tell me about it."_Sookie thought

"_I think this is the start of something good." _Cordelia sighed reaching out to shake Sookie's hand again which this time didn't shock her.

"Now, that you've had girl time let's get down to business." said Angel scratching his head in amazement.

"Right." Eric added dryly. "Let's see if we can't use you two to help us find this creature. Eric looked towards the door and used a little telepathy of his own to summon Pam who came bolting through the door.

"Yes... Eric." she puffed "You have incredible timing, you know that?. I was just about to have a little break when you called me." She said flipping her hair like a stubborn teenager.

"Well, that can wait, you always have the rest of the night to 'take a break'. Right now, I need that envelope I told you to put away."

"Fine" then she bolted to the basement and back within a matter of minutes, throwing the thick envelope on Eric's desk with a thud. "Is that all? Cause I've got a meal that's getting cold out there."

"Thank You, Pam. That will be all, go and have your little break." He mused cocking an eyebrow at her as she left closing the door behind her. He then opened up the envelope and took out some photographs of what looked to be a handsome young man, a woman, and another younger man who looked similar to the first but with some of the features of the woman.

"That's him." Cordy pointed out as she looked at the last photo. "That's him. Surprisingly,he's looks a lot less vicious looking through the photograph."

"That's him? The apocalypse bringer?" Angel quirked an eyebrow looking at Eric. He looks...looks like a pretty boy with a dark-side. At least that's all I see when I look at this guy."

"It takes one to know one, eh Angel?" she shot back. "He's done really terrible things. I saw flashes of his past when I had that last hell of a headache...he's been twisted since he was little and looking at his father, it might run in the family." she said as she stared intently at Thelo's picture in which his brooding gaze made him look almost not human. _Not far from the truth._

"Just how did you get these pictures, anyway?" Angel said picking up each of the photos and inspecting them.

"What kind of Sheriff would I be if I didn't have connections?" He smirked

"The good kind." Sookie chimed in.

"I didn't hear you complaining when those very connections protected you in Jackson."

"I didn't ask you to tell Alcide to come with me, remember? You insisted that since _you_ couldn't be there to watch over me that he would." She said coldly looking away from him.

"Okay, so what about this guy?" Cordelia sputtered breaking the quarrel.

"He's in college here in Shreveport, His mother used to live in California where one of several hellmouths reside but now she lives in Bon Temps where coincidentally there is an even weaker point in which the gates of hell can be directly accessed. She wants him stopped. We will stop him. But there's a price. We need an opportunity and a decoy."

" What about the impregnating people to create a demonic army?" added Cordelia biting her nails now.

"He's well on his way but there isn't a need to do that...once he fucks them, he controls them. Something ancient called soul ties, wherein once you copulate with a being your soul is forever tied to them. Him, being demonic and angelic his soul ties to anyone he does will instantly result in a total mind control state in which he can control them to fight, destroy, whatever he sees fit in his power to have them do to bring about The End. He's not picky either." Eric stated in a matter-of- fact tone."

" And how'd you find all this out?" Angel jumped in

" Some of the humans who frequent Fangtasia have joined this cult which they call 'Gates of The Son'. They've got marks on their wrists. Every time they come here they try to recruit members vampires and humans alike. It's fucking annoying. And when we have them kicked out they threaten to tell their leader...Ira. He's not very bright that one. He just makes it so easy to find him."

"That is unless he wants us to find him." Angel continued "If he knows about the Hellmouths then he knows about me and how I try to stop those things from happening. I also assume he knows about you as well since his followers come here and probably Ms. Stackhouse."

"Not, again." Sookie huffed "Eric, I'm sick of this shit." She continued while gathering up her purse and zipping up her jacket as she headed to the door. I'm marked because of my association to you. I'm stating to think I just wanna sit this one out."

With his vampire speed Eric caught her before she had made it half way past Angel and Cordelia who were just as shocked as Sookie when he grabbed her wrist.

"Our path's are destined to cross because of our bond, lover. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Besides, you owe me." He said cocking his head to one side in the way that made her think about all those dreams she'd had about him in her house, in her bed and other places.

"Excuse me?"

"You tell him, Sookie!" Cordelia added until Eric gave her a menacing glare that made her shrink in her seat.

"You don't think the use of my connections comes without a price do you?" he continued

"I paid your ass back when I pulled you in from the sun." she continued. "Remember that? Ya know when you were trying to be a hero."

"I only did to save you, lover."

Angel stood up waving his hands, trying to get the attention of the others who had seemingly forgotten the urgency of this latest threat to the world. "If you two don't mind I think we might wanna discuss how we're gonna get this Ira guy and save the world...which I think is a tiny bit more important than standing here trying to remember who owes who."

"Very well," Eric said loosening his grip on Sookie's wrist. "I think, that we should talk to the mother first, have these humans here read her...see into her mind and find out a direct link to his father whom I've found is a demon."

Just as Eric finished saying this he and Angel jumped up and ran to the window, where a pair of eyes were seen through the blinds. With lightening speed both he and Angel were outside fangs out and ready to kill. Cordelia and Sookie followed suit meeting them outside minutes later. In Eric's steel grip was a muscular man with black hair and a tattoo on his wrist. His clothes were all black leather with combat boots and several peircings. Angel had him by the throat and wrist.

"What's this mean?" He bellowed.

"Wouldn't you like to know, fanger." The man spat back.

Tightening his grip on the man while glamoring him Eric added, "I think this nice man just wants to know what this tattoo you have here symbolizes. I think you should tell him"

"Its a symbol for my group. The Gates of the Son. All of have them, its part of the initiation, but they appear on us as soon as we meet privately with the leader." The man said now fully cooperating.

"And who's the leader of this group?" Eric continued

" His name is Ira."

Sookie and Cordelia's gasps caught the attention of Eric and Angel who were just about to snap the guys neck.

"Don't kill him, Eric." Sookie screamed.

"Did you ever think he might lead us to this Ira guy...he could be our little helper if you can keep mesmerizing him or whatever it is you're doing." Cordelia added.

"No! It's taking all the strength in me to keep him glamored Ira's hold on him is stronger than anything I have ever dealt with. We have to kill him,"

"Sookie, come here and see if you can get anything from him before Angel snaps his neck."

"I told you I'm OUT!" She yelled back.

"I don't think you want to try my patience, Ms. Stackhouse." he retorted. She stalked over to where they were standing and looked the man who was now looking completely devoid of thought and searched his mind."

"_Ira is the one who opens the gates. The gates are opened by Ira. He is the Son of the Gates. Ira is the one who opens the gates. The gates are opened by ." _

Sookie fell back after hearing his thoughts. A darkness surrounded her and she couldn't open her eyes. When she fell , Eric immediately turned the man loose. Angel picked up the slack by snapping his neck, ending his life right there. Eric scooped up Sookie before she could hit the ground. As he picked her up Cordelia began wailing in pain.

"CORDELIA!" Angel shouted as she fell to her knees holding her head as she did.

"He's...in my head"she moaned. "Angel DO SOMETHING!" she shouted then she collapsed in his arms as he looked around for more eyes in the parking lot surrounding Fangtasia.

"What in the fuck is going on out here?" Pam asked seeing the dead man, Eric holding Sookie and Cordelia's limp form in Angel's arms.

"Pamela, make the preparations we discussed NOW!" Eric shouted as he got up and sped back to his office with Angel following close behind.

"Shit. Not again." she replied.


	5. Chapter 5

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**~Outlawstar615~**

IRA's HOUSE ON THE BAYOU:

Hundreds of people with dark clothing dancing to trance music as they waited for a grand entrance from their master. The sight is comparable to tens of little mosh pits erupting simultaneously. People are thrashing about drinking wine,beer, and other concoctions while grinding wildly against each other. The scene brings back memories from Mary Ann's stint in Bon Temps but in a more controlled manor or as controlled as an orgy from hell can be. Up the winding staircase loud panting, screams and moans come from the room at the end of the hall.

"Master." a woman's voice moans. "I live to serve you." she strained

There he was in his king size bed; Ira, making his way through the last of tonight's initiates into his unholy clan. His thick raven locks, sticking to his face as his latest servant thrashed about wildly under his touch.

"Shhh." he whispered to her as he pushed her back into the table top position while he entered her from behind. "In due time, my child...All in due time."

Moments later the woman is lying unconscious on the bed a fresh new mark on her wrist that matched the other initiates who had their turn with him earlier. Ira motions for a nude woman who is stretched across his desk to retrieve and put on his robe.

She gets up slowly rolling up on her knees before climbing from atop the dresser where she had been initiated. "Here Master allow me to pleasure you again before you go." she sighed with her eyes glittering in the haze of his complete control.

"You've done enough, just robe me and leave." He said as he waved away her eager hands and stepping over a young male vampire sprawled out on the floor with nothing but a sheet covering him.

"As you wish." she purred going behind him to put his arms through the robe.

Ira walked to the bathroom that was adjoined to the master bedroom and looked at his face in the mirror.

"Building an army is such a tiring task. But It's one that I enjoy." He hummed reveling in the feeling of absolute control that was almost his. He turned on the faucet and splashed some water on his face, took a towel from the rack and looked around the room. He remembered what had happened only an hour before when he felt one of his soldiers die. He knew exactly who did it and how it had happened. He knew of everyone in attendance and thought he'd made sure they wouldn't be trying again.

"Those bitches won't be finding me anytime soon, after the shit I did to their heads, I dare them to try. Them and their weak vampires."

He turned and padded out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom where in a matter of seconds those initiates who were sleeping on the floor and several other places in the room got up put on their clothing and left the room. Ira telepathically commanded them to join the party downstairs.

He got dressed and went to open the door to the bedroom when in bust a vampire whose dark eyes, hair and expression put a smile on Ira's face. "Bill Compton, just the man I wanted to see. But right now, I'm about to deliver a message to my troops." he said putting a hand on Bill's shoulder.

"Yes, of course you are but I think you should know master that I came to give you a report on Northman and company."

"Well, you're a bit late, I've already seen to it that they won't be getting in the way."

Bill walked further in the room, closing the door behind him and meeting Ira a just a breath away from his face.

"Allow, me to elaborate my liege." he began, "I am certain that the information I have is of great importance to you. It will allow you to perhaps curtail indefinitely the mobilization of Northman and the one with the soul."

Ira looking directly into Bill's eyes. "Can't this wait? I'm already late and I don't need my troops getting restless." As he finished he brushed pass Bill and made it to the door. Looking back at a peeved Bill he muttered, "If you're still here when I get back I might be able to hear your information, that is if you don't mind watching me initiate a few more willing souls?"

Putting back on a slightly more uplifted attitude Bill replied, "I might even join you, sir."

"Very well." The door slams and Bill is left to sit on Ira's bed with some troubling thoughts running in his undead mind.

Bill was in a situation now that he was all too familiar with. Pledging allegiance to anyone with the power and connections to oppose Eric Northman, doing so with the hopes of covering his ass, getting away alive and with Sookie for himself. He knew that in any other scenario his actions up to now would be considered cowardly and treacherous. First, his maker, then the queen, then Russel, now Ira. He was just a puppet to all these people and the one thing that kept coming back to him each time was a Sookie Stackhouse. Eric Northman and his meddling ways just screwed everything up. He would have told her about everything... eventually. _The truth hurts so bad so why tell it?_ But in the end he was just too sloppy with his execution on certain tasks. _I should have stayed to make sure the cement held him in and that there was no way he could escape._ He should never have taken her to him, he knew that this would happen and now it had. He was left on his own again with no maker, no Sookie, nothing. This time he would get her back. He was sure of it. If following Ira meant that he would have her again he would do it. Even if in the deepest part of his mind he knew it was only her blood that called to him and that each time he drank from her he was claiming some of her light. He had to have her or nobody would. He just had to make sure that Ira was willing to go along with his 'information' and follow him well enough without tipping him off that he was only in this for the girl.

Downstairs the loudness was growing to epic proportions. The crowd was growing restless. They grew tired of fucking each other and drinking until their stomachs turned on them. Ira taking his slow time began at the top of the stairwell surveying his fine creation. "This must be how that old fool felt when he created the world." he sighed. "So marvelous a creation indeed." He cleared his throat and all the room fell silent.

"My soldiers and children. The hour is at hand for us to rip apart this wretched place and go home. A new home where we will be welcomed with open arms by the Darkness."

Roars erupted from the crowd as he raised his arms above his head.

" We need to build up our numbers so there won't be a way for the beings of light to trample upon us as they've done in the past." Ira then pulled up his sleeve to reveal the mark on his wrist which glowed a bright reddish-orange. He took out a small pocket knife and slit his wrist lapping up some of the red life while some of it spilled to the floor. "Show me your loyalty, raise your wrists and let let your blood spill upon this bivouac. We will seal this place with the blood of darkness!" he roared and they all took their wrists and bit them and cut into them until they began to bleed. Drop by drop, puddles of blood began covering the floor.

Thunderous screeching and howling erupted from the creatures. Vampire, werewolves, and humans alike joined for a cause. They began chanting. "Ira is the one who opens the gates. The gates are opened by Ira. He is the Son of the Gates. Ira is the one who opens the gates. The gates are opened by Ira. He is the Son of the Gates." As they chanted they began rubbing the blood all over their hands eyes and mouths and then rubbed their bodies against the walls writing forbidden incantations to seal the mansion from those who might try to enter bearing the light. As they continued the rituals Ira continued descending the stairs and joined his soldiers wading in the thick blood stained floor.

…...

ERICs Clandestine Hideout:

Dark maroon walls, red velvet curtains, a king size bed with fresh linens that matched the decor and wooden floors. Pam's speedy arrangements had taken Angel and company to Eric's home. One of his many homes that wasn't exactly easy to find which is why he made it an emergency hideout. Pam was still looking pissed and worried as she made more arrangements. She now was on the phone making arrangements for one of Eric's trusty connections to take charge on Fangtasia for a few days. Having an outsider take care of Eric's club meant that he and Pam by extension must be in some kind of trouble. The kind that would follow you and destroy your stuff.

In the master bedroom Eric sits in a Queen Ann chair next to the bed where Cordelia and Sookie lie. They are writhing and sweating through the sheets. Whoever got inside their heads had really done a number on them.

"What just happened back there?" Angel said pacing the floor. He looked over at Cordelia who lay on a bed next to Sookie.

"If I knew, do you think we would be here?" Eric said coldly as he stared at Sookie. "The doctor said they aren't injured in any way but I think they might not be as useful as I once hoped. They are vulnerable in a way I didn't calculate. We need to rethink our strategy."

"I agree. But I doubt we will be able to do this without some type of ancient influence...or anything that he can't destroy." Angel finally sat down in a chair adjacent Eric. He refused to look away from Cordelia who seemed to be waking up.

Instead of Cordelia it was Sookie who woke up looking around the room in bewilderment. Her eye-lids heavy and covered in sweat she brushed her forehead and sat up straight.

"He was in my head. I heard him. When I read that guy I was really reading Ira. He knows who we are and wants us dead."

"That's what everyone we know wants for us. Nothing new there." Eric said moving quickly to her side. "You should rest." he said as he went back to sit down.

"Angel, he knows who you are and he's well aware that you Cordelia have been trying to find him."

Just as Sookie finished Cordy woke up rubbing her temples she stared at the ceiling.

"I'm the sacrifice."

"Cordelia, what are you talking about?" Angel asked. A familiar feeling crept into his gut making him wince as Cordelia continued.

"I'm the sacrifice. When I went down, there were lots of people in my head. First it was that Ira guy, then The Powers that be came in a started talking about a sacrifice. You know that decoy you guys said you wanted? Well, I've just been selected. I have no say in the matter and there is a slim chance I may not come out alive but right now the only way the rest of you can get in is through me."

"Your braveness will work to our advantage." The tall blonde vampire began. A wave of relief making its way across his entire body.

"What the Hell?" A fiery and slightly woozy Sookie started "We can't just let her go in and get killed like that. Eric, you bastard 'Your braveness will work to our advantage.'" she continued fuming about their current situation and her total disdain for all things supernatural. Her Eric voice was really a good impression. It was good enough to elicit a grin from Eric who who sat half confused and amazed.

Eric stood up and walked over to Sookie who was turning red in the face from yelling. On the verge of tears he went over to her and place his hand on her shoulder. Staring at her with those piercing blue eyes. "Lover, You'll never understand this world if you don't stop thinking like a human. You're still using your human skills to get you through all of this. This isn't a good place for a human to be right now. You are part supernatural which means that you're going to need to start seeing things differently if you want to survive. Whether you like this or not, you're involved, she's involved. We need all the bravery we can muster."

Sookie looked at Cordelia to read her expression. It seemed that she was used to putting herself in precarious situations, ones that could have her killed. But something about this time seemed different, as if this time Cordelia wasn't fully on board with the Powers that Be and maybe for good reason.


End file.
